This invention relates to forks for fork lift trucks and particularly to the desirability of reducing the weight thereof by certain changes in configuration.
The usual fork for a fork lift truck consists of an L-shaped body as viewed in side elevation, in which the off-standing arm which is designated herein as the load arm is an integrally connected element with an upstanding arm which for the purposes hereof will be denominated as a lift arm. The lift arm is provided with certain attaching elements for connecting the same to a lift truck structure and thus providing the necessary connection, such forks usually being used in pairs.
It is often the case that such lift forks are differently described, with the offstanding arm or longitudinal arm being designated as the blade and the upstanding arm as the shank. Irrespective of the descriptive designations, the functions are of course identical and as would be expected, very little has changed in the construction of such forks from the time of their initial use and construction.
It is of course also well known that forks are made in a number of different ways as by forging and bending during the forging process to comprise the L-shaped body which is commonly provided.
The extremity of the longitudinal or load arm, is tapered from a point about mid-way of such arm to the extremity, the main body of the fork being of rectilinear cross-section and of substantial size.
The possibilities of making many changes in a fork structure are obviously limited by the necessity to maintain the strength for lifting purposes which a heavy cross-section fork would normally have and obviously this cross-section is carried through the heel which comprises the connection of the load arm and lift arms and is of particular importance in the same as will be apparent, for load bearing purposes.
It might be noted that under some circumstances the load arm itself is a separate element and may be connected to a lift truck structure for certain uses and without other aspects being considered.
With the foregoing in mind, the efforts which have resulted in this invention, to in some way reduce the cost of the fork, have been directed toward various formations which the same may assume, it being recalled that where lifting ability is present, the thickness and width of the fork are important but primarily the thickness so to speak is the controlling factor in the usual contemplation and according to calculations which can be made by those skilled in the art.
The contemplation of this invention is therefore directed to various aspects of the fork configuration which as far as is known have not heretofore been contemplated at least for forks of substantial capacity and as far as any available on the market at the present time is known.
Having outlined the general field of the invention and the background thereof, it is contemplated by the disclosure herein to provide a different approach to fork manufacture, inasmuch as the cost of the fork is determined in large measure by the weight thereof and thus any weight reduction which can be effected will obviously reduce such cost and in the final analysis reduce the selling price thereof likewise.